Washbasin



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. P. PUTNAM.

WASHBASIN, &c.

No. 563,064. Patented June 30, 1896'.

lling, f

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

J. P. PUTNAM. WASHBASIN, &c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN PIOKERING PUTNAM, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

wAs H BASIN, abc.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,064, dated June 30, 1896.

Application filed April 18, 1895. Serial No. 546,288. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN PICKERING PUT- NAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Washbasins and Similar Fixtures, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a washbasin or similar fixture having its outlet controlled by a sliding valve operated within the basin itself and independently of the slab or frame of the fixture, and I attain this object bythe mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a vertical section of the rear part of my device, which in the present case is a washbasin. Fig. 2 is a view of the rear wall of the basin, showing the outlet and overiiow openings and the valve mechanism in dotted line. Figs. 3 and 4L are horizontal sections of the rear of the basin and of its valve mechanism. Figs. 5, 6, 7, and S are vertical sections of modifications of my device, and Fig. 9 is a horizontal section along the line Y Z of Fig. S.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

B is the bottom, and P one side, of the washbasin W.

T is a tube constituting the waste and overflow passage formed in one piece with the basin and connected with its side from near the top to the bottom. The tube T opens into the basin at the top at O, which forms the overilow-opening, and also at the bottom at O', which forms the waste-opening. This latter opening O is controlled by a valve V, which is operated by a stem S and handle L. The valve when closed against the wasteopening O' prevents the water from escaping from the basin into the outlet-tube T.

In order to render the tube T easily accessible for cleansing at every part, it is made of substantially the same capacity throughout and only as large as the opening O, through which it can be cleansed. The stem S is made flexible, either by being jointed at J or by the use of an elastic material, or by both means, so as to enable it to be removed at pleasure, together with the valve V, from the iixture at any time.

In hotels and other public places where a too easy removal of the stem S and valve V might lead to their being stolen, some device is required to render the removal impossible except by the aid of a special tool. This is effected by means of the screw X, the removal of which is necessary before the stem can be taken out. The screw may be applied in a number of ways. In Fig. 1 it is used to make rigid the upper joint J, so that the stem cannot be removed until the screw X is removed. The screw can only be removed when the stem is lifted high enough to bring the screw opposite the lower part of the opening O. In Fig. 8 the screw X binds the stem S against the back of the basin itself through the block Q, which serves as a fulcrum upon which S is pivoted by the pivot R. The stem S in this case cannot be removed until the screw X is taken out and the block Q is thus made free to come out with the stem.

A A are shoulders or arms on the stem S, which nearly touch the sides ofthe tube T,and hold the stem perpendicular in its place.

The tube T is iutedff on the upper end inwardly to give a shell-like appearance, rendering the overiiow passage-way sufficiently ornamental to enable a hood to be dispensed with; but the handle L is made hood-shaped and serves to screen the overiiow-outlet when it is lowered and the valve closed.

Fig. 5 shows a iixed hood U, of earthenware, over the opening O, with a hole in its center, through which the stem -might pass. This iigure also shows the stem passing to the valve on the inside of the basin in plain sight, and fastened at its lower end to the front instead of to the back of the valve, or the valve itself might work against the basin side of the outlet O instead of the pipe side.

,O2 is the discharge-outlet of the tube T beyond and correspondingto the waste-outlet O of the basin. S2 is the valve-seat upon which the valve V rests. It is formed on the tube side of the waste-opening O', and it is ground or turned true through the tube waste-opening O2, which is located opposite it in order to permit of this. c

The valve V may be made of any suitable hard material capable of resisting oxidation under water; but I have shown it made of opal glass or white procelain ground to make a water-tight joint with the seat and secured to IOO waste and overflow outlets.

the stem S by a suitable clamp F, formed to bind the edges of the valve, which are beveled to receive it. Small screws in the frame F, entering into the depressions D D,may be used to bind the frame and glass more rmly together.

s is a spring secured to the center of the back 0f the valve or its clamp at one end, while its other end presses against the wall of the tube T and holds the valve V iirmly against its seat when the valve is closed.

E is the waste-coupling secured to the tube T at its outlet O2 by means of the nut N and packing P.

The operation of the device is as follows: The valve V, which is shown closed in Fig. l, is opened by raising the handle L, which lifts the valve to the position shown in Fig. 2 and opens it. Reversing the movement closes the valve again. In Figs. 6 and 8 the valve slides horizontally, and in Fig. 8 the handle L is operated by moving it down and forward to open the valve, and by pushing it up and backward to close the same,.the stem being pivoted at R, as above explained. The valve is removed by first raising the lift until the small screw S4 comes to the position shown in Fig. 2. The screw is then taken out by means of an ordinary screw-driver, and the handle L and valve V may be then drawn out through the opening O. The lower joint J facilitates the reinoval.

In private houses or in places where there is no danger of theft the upper joint J and screw X may be omitted and the stem S may be so made that the lower joint J will suffice to permit of the removal of the stem and valve through the opening O. The upper joint J is composed of aboss S4 on the upper portion of the stem into which the screw X is screwed through a hole in the top of the lower part of the stem S, as shown in Fig. 1.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the outlet O2 is entirely below the basin-outlet O and in a plane at right angles with the latter. In this case, therefore, the seat cannot easily be made in the same material or piece with the rest of the basin. The valve and valveseat are, accordingly, made of metal and the seat S2 forms part of the waste fitting E, which extends up above the outlet O. It is secured to the inner surface of the tube T by mastic or cement M. The seat S2 is turned through the opening H in the metal,and this opening, in combination with the grooves G G in the earthenware and knobs K K, on the outside of the metal fitting E, and with cement as a binding material, renders the connection secure and water-tight.

A strainer S3 is secured to the outlet tting E beyond the basin-outlet O and serves both The glass or earthenware valveVmight be connected with the stem S in many ways, as, for instance, by means of a hook or ring passing through a hole in the upper part of the valve, Fig. 6.

I do not wish to'conne myself to any special method of connecting these parts.

NVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In the washbasinW having a fixed waste and overflow passage T and waste and overow openings O'7 O, connecting said basinW with said passage T; the combination of a valve-seat S2 projecting into the passage T around the waste-outlet O', an outlet O2 from the passage T wider than O' and in close proximity with it, whereby and through which the seat S2 may be ground even; a valve V closing against said seat, and means for operating said valve, substantially as described.

2. In the washbasin W, having a fixed waste and overflow passage T the inner rear wall of which is parallel with the rear wall of the basin and waste and overflow openings O and O connecting said basin W with said passage T, the combination of the valve-seat ing or closing when open, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the washbasin W, passage-wayT for waste and overflow connected with the basin, and having a crosssection of area equal to the size of the valve, waste-outlet 0'; valve V controlling said outlet, stem S for operating the valve, and joint J permitting the valve and stem to bend so as to be removed through the overflow-outlet O, substantially as described. Y

4. The combination of the washbasin W, passage-way T for waste and overflow; outlet O', valve V for controlling said outlet; stem S for operating said valve, passing through said passage-way T; joint J in said stem S and screw Xat the joint; the joint and screw being so placed that when the stem is raised to its highest position,the screw can be turned through the overflow opening O substantially as described.

5. In a washbasin or similar xture having a fixed waste and overflow passage connected with its side, the combination of a valve for controlling the waste-opening; and a valvestem for operating the valve, the valve-stem having a handle in front of the overflow-opening shaped so as to form a head for concealing said overow-opening, substantially as described.

IIO

In testimony whereof I have signed my l name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 12th day of April, A. D. 1895.

J. PICKERING PUTNAM.

lVitnesses:

FELIX RAoKEuANN, J AMES D. COLT. 

